SPRINGFIELD -- For the second time this month, Missouri State's Emily Butters and Lily Johnson collected Missouri Valley Conference volleyball awards in the same week. Butters is the league's Freshman of the Week for a second time, while Johnson earned her fourth Player of the Week honor this season.

Butters averaged 6.17 digs per set last week while helping the MSU defense hold opponents to a .123 hitting percentage in two matches. She also had seven assists and three aces while surpassing 500 digs on the season, something done only 10 times in MSU history.

The libero from Richmond, Texas, lifted 20 digs to go with four assists and an ace in Friday's win over Evansville, and had 17 digs and two aces Saturday against SIU as the Bears limited the MVC's most efficient offense to .147 hitting.

Johnson averaged 6.17 kills and 7.00 points per set while hitting .378 in a pair of MSU sweeps last week. Friday against Evansville, Johnson needed only 34 swings to pile up 20 kills as she hit .500 in the match and became the 20th MSU player and first sophomore to reach 1,000 career kills. She added five digs, two aces and three blocks against the Aces.

Saturday, the sophomore outside hitter notched her 21st double-double of the season with 17 kills and 10 digs against Southern Illinois, hitting .292 with another ace versus the Salukis.

The Bears (22-9, 13-5) take the No. 3 seed into the MVC Tournament this week, which takes place at Hammons Student Center Nov. 26-28. MSU is ranked 40th in the most recent NCAA RPI, and is one of five MVC teams rated 65th or better. Missouri State faces No. 6 Loyola (20-11, 9-9) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.